


The Earth, Singing

by Himring



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Creation, Dwarves, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-12
Updated: 2014-07-12
Packaged: 2018-02-08 13:00:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1942083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Himring/pseuds/Himring
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aule designs Durin's brain.<br/>And then there is Feanor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Earth, Singing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elleth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elleth/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Birth](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/61011) by Lyra. 



> Written for the B2MeM 2012 prompt: In what furnace was thy brain? (W. Blake) [Snippets of Verse O-72]
> 
> Inspired by Elleth's "Out of the Dust" (on SWG under Súlimëo Quentar: March Stories) and Lyra's "Birth" (linked), both written just previously on the creation of Durin (also for B2Mem 2012)

In his longing for students to teach the unbounded wealth of the minerals of Arda, Aule takes great pains to calibrate the brains of his dwarves exactly to their task. The dwarven bodies he designs are sturdy and solid, thoroughly functional like a well-balanced hammer or a mattock; later ages will—mistakenly—call them crude. But Durin’s brain is an intricately damascened blade. It is a fine instrument attuned to the tectonic rhythms of Arda. It is a set of chimes that resonates with the song of granite and gneiss, quartz and malachite, jasper and basalt. Aule is proud of Durin’s brain. Even after suffering Eru’s reproof, he still considers it his best piece of work.

Until the day Feanor walks into his forge—and Aule discovers that the triumph of the teacher cannot be complete until he is taught a lesson by his student. Feanor does not resonate, not for long. Feanor rewrites the song.


End file.
